Rome vacation rental scam leaves traveler with walled-up door

A man from Campobello di Mazara experienced a significant travel scam after booking a two-night stay in Rome for four people through Booking.com. Upon arriving at the listed address in the Castro Pretorio area near Termini Station, the traveler discovered the apartment did not exist; instead, he found a walled-up doorway with a plastic-covered intercom.

The victim reported that after making the initial reservation, he received a message in English requesting a bank transfer to confirm the accommodation. The provided bank details were linked to a branch in Calabria. The scam resulted in a total cost of nearly 1,000 euros, as the man had already paid approximately 400 euros for the non-existent rental and was forced to spend an additional 600 euros to secure emergency lodging for his family.

Following the incident, the traveler reported the matter to Booking.com. The platform removed the fraudulent listing and credited the victim with nearly 200 euros in its digital wallet for future use.